In our last article, we discussed developer segmentation and how it affects developer marketing efforts. To recap, marketing segmentation categorizes developers into segments or subgroups based on their interests, pain points, needs, and motivations. This targets a specific audience for your developer marketing strategies or efforts.
In this article, we will give practical examples and tips on identifying your developer audience and creating developer segmentation based on your findings.
Let’s learn!
Who are you targeting?
Understanding the type of developer you’re targeting is key to every marketing effort, strategy, or program you or your company want to carry out. Not identifying who you want to target is like fetching water with a basket; it’s fruitless. You need to know what type of developer your company’s tool is for.
Now what I do mean by “what type of developer?”. Developers are divided into segments or types, there are a few:
- Frontend developers: They are focused on the user interface (UI) of a website or web application.
- Backend developers: They build the server that powers websites, web, or mobile applications.
- Mobile developers: They build the user interfaces of mobile applications.
- Full-stack developers: They build both the user interface and backend servers of websites or web applications.
- Game developers: They build games for different platforms.
- Blockchain developers: They develop decentralized applications (dApps), smart contracts, and lots more.
Understanding that not every tool is for every developer is vital because they don’t all use the same tools, platforms, or technologies. For instance, a frontend developer will mostly use HTML, CSS, and Javascript or Javascript framework, but backend developers do not need HTML or CSS. They may, however, use a Javascript framework like NextJS to build a server. They don’t all use the same tools in their roles.
Aside from types of developers, another segment to note is industry-specific developers. What field the developer works in could influence your marketing efforts. For instance, a frontend developer working in a banking sector (it could be FinTech) would use slightly different tools than a frontend developer working in a developer-focused company. Understanding their industry would also help you identify developer segments.
Another way to understand your target developer is by analyzing their needs and preferences. As mentioned earlier, not all developers use the same tool; that also applies to not all facing the same pain points or challenges, and their learning and content habits differ.
A backend developer may encounter bugs when integrating a database into a project, while a game developer may encounter bugs when rendering a game character. These issues can lead developers to consume content that aligns with their goals or responsibilities. Knowing this will help you identify your target developer and create a unique experience for them.
Segmentation Techniques
Different types of developer segmentation exist based on where the developer lives, their workflow or patterns, interests, technologies they use, programming languages they build with, and more.
Here is some developer segmentation you should take note of:
Demographic Segmentation:
Demographics are statistics or studies describing a group of developers and their characteristics based on age, gender, education, income, experience level, or geographic location.
For instance, a developer with five or more years of working experience would not focus on the fundamental aspect of a programming language they have used for a long time. Instead, they would focus on more advanced concepts of that language compared to a developer of 6 months or a year of working experience, who would be tackling the fundamentals of the language or more junior level stuff, so the content or developer resource you would create for the 6 years of experience developer would greatly differ from that of the 6-months experience developer.
The same goes for developers living in different countries. A developer living in Nigeria with little to no knowledge of English would struggle to understand company articles or documentation more than a developer who lives in the United States, where English is their primary language. Factoring demographics would help you create a smoother, more unique experience for developers when pushing for product adoption.
Here’s an example of a demographic segmentation for three types of developers:
| Frontend Developers | Backend Developers | Mobile Developers |
| Age: 20-40 Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Design, or related fields; self-taught Occupation: UI/UX designers, web developers, software engineers Experience Level: Beginner to advanced Motivation: Creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces, staying updated with design trends, improving user experience Preferred Tools: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, Vue.js, design tools like Figma or Sketch Content Interests: Web design principles, responsive design, performance optimization, UI/UX trends, accessibility, animation | Age: 25-45 Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related fields Occupation: Software developers, systems engineers, database administrators Experience Level: Intermediate to advanced Motivation: Building robust and scalable server-side applications, ensuring data integrity, optimizing performance Preferred Tools: Node.js, Django, Ruby on Rails, Java, C#, SQL/NoSQL databases, server management tools Content Interests: API development, database design, server-side logic, security, performance tuning, microservices architecture | Age: 22-40 Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related fields; self-taught Occupation: Mobile app developers, software engineers Experience Level: Beginner to advanced Motivation: Developing engaging and efficient mobile applications, exploring new mobile technologies, optimizing user experience on mobile devices Preferred Tools: Swift, Kotlin, Java, Flutter, React Native, Xcode, Android Studio Content Interests: Cross-platform development, mobile UI/UX, performance optimization, app monetization strategies, integrating with APIs, mobile security |
The segment above can assist you in creating better content or developer resources specific to front-end, back-end, or mobile developers and ensuring they are tailored to their needs and interests.
Behavioral Segmentation
Behavioral segmentation is a strategy that divides target developers based on how they interact with products, technologies, or companies, their engagement level, and how loyal they are to brands. This studies the developers’ behavior patterns, preferences, usage habits, and decision-making processes to create better marketing strategies.
For instance, a frontend developer would focus more on creating a responsive, accessible design, which would lead them to use design tools, frontend frameworks, and CSS preprocessors, compared to a backend developer focused on server-side logic, database management and scaling applications or improving their performance, which would lead them to use server management tools, database solutions, or advanced backend services.
The same goes for mobile developers focused on building and optimizing mobile applications on different devices, who invest more in mobile app development courses or mobile analytics services than cloud developers focused on deploying the application on the cloud, who invest more in cloud-related courses or advanced cloud services.
Here’s an example of a behavioral segmentation for three types of developers:
| Frontend Developers | Backend Developers | Mobile Developers |
| Usage Patterns: Work Habits: Frequently use design systems, prioritize responsive and accessible design, and regularly update user interfaces. Content Consumption: Prefers tutorials and resources on new frontend technologies, design trends, and user experience (UX) best practices. Tool Usage: Regularly engages with design tools, frontend frameworks, and CSS preprocessors. | Usage Patterns: Work Habits: Focus on server-side logic, database management, API development, and ensuring application scalability and performance. Content Consumption: Prefers in-depth technical articles, case studies, and tutorials on backend technologies, databases, and system architecture. Tool Usage: Frequently uses server-side languages, database management systems, and cloud services. | Usage Patterns: Work Habits: Focus on developing, testing, and optimizing mobile applications for performance and user experience on different devices. Content Consumption: Consumes content related to mobile app development, cross-platform frameworks, and mobile-specific optimization techniques. Tool Usage: Regularly uses mobile development environments, testing tools, and analytics platforms. |
| Behavioral Traits: Engagement Level: High engagement with design communities and forums, participates in design and frontend development challenges. Learning Preferences: Enjoys hands-on projects and live coding sessions. Purchase Behavior: Likely to invest in UI/UX design tools, premium frontend libraries, and courses on modern frameworks. | Behavioral Traits: Engagement Level: High engagement with technical documentation and performance optimization communities. Learning Preferences: Prefers detailed technical documentation and problem-solving scenarios. Purchase Behavior: Invests in server management tools, database solutions, and advanced backend frameworks or services. | Behavioral Traits: Engagement Level: Engages with mobile development communities and forums and participates in app development contests or hackathons. Learning Preferences: Enjoys tutorials on new mobile frameworks, app performance optimization, and mobile design principles. Purchase Behavior: Likely to purchase mobile app development courses, testing tools, and subscriptions to mobile analytics services. |
The segment above helps you understand different developer audiences’ behaviors and preferences, allowing you to create more targeted content, tools, or marketing strategies.
Psychographic Segmentation
Psychographic segmentation focuses on understanding developers’ attitudes, values, interests, and lifestyle preferences that fit their motivations, goals, and passions. It also involves understanding developer personas and how they could affect your marketing effort.
For instance, a frontend developer who focuses on user experience and creating interfaces would be someone who pays attention to visual details and loves exploring design patterns they come across, compared to a backend developer who focuses on performance optimization and scalable solutions would be someone analytical, loves problem-solving and system design.
By understanding your developer audience’s personality, you can take a better approach to driving product adoption that resonates with your target audience.
Here’s an example of a psychographic segmentation for three types of developers:
| Frontend Developers | Backend Developers | Mobile Developers |
| Values & Interests: Design Passion: Values aesthetics, user experience, and creating intuitive interfaces. Creativity: Enjoys experimenting with new design trends and innovative UI/UX solutions. User-Centric: Prioritizes user satisfaction and accessibility in their work. | Values & Interests: Efficiency: Values performance optimization, scalable solutions, and reliable backend systems. Technical Precision: Enjoys solving complex problems related to system architecture and data management. Stability: Prioritizes stability and robustness in system design. | Values & Interests: User Experience: Values creating seamless and responsive mobile experiences across different devices. Innovation: Interested in emerging mobile technologies and app development trends. Adaptability: Enjoys working on applications that need to adapt to various mobile environments and constraints. |
| Personality Traits: Detail-Oriented: Pays attention to visual details and user interactions. Innovative: Interested in exploring new front-end technologies and design patterns. Community-Oriented: Actively participates in design communities and forums. | Personality Traits: Analytical: Enjoys deep technical challenges and problem-solving. Methodical: Focuses on structured approaches to coding and system design. Independent: Often works on intricate backend solutions with less frequent need for immediate feedback. | Personality Traits: Tech-Savvy: Keeps up with the latest mobile development tools and practices. Creative Problem-Solver: Enjoys tackling unique challenges related to mobile performance and user interface. User-Focused: Dedicated to improving mobile app usability and performance. |
The segmentation above gives you an idea of how you should create psychographic profiles for different developers’ personas.
Technographic Segmentation
In contrast to psychographic segmentation, technographic segmentation separates developers based on their technology stacks, tools, software they use, programming language they are familiar with, frameworks, and developer environments they interact with to create targeted developer messaging that aligns with their needs and preferences.
For instance, a front-end and mobile developer works on user interfaces but doesn’t use the same tool or tech stack. A front-end developer works with HTML, CSS, and Javascript frameworks or technologies like React, Svelte, VueJS, and front-end build tools like Webpack, while a mobile developer works with mobile development environments like Android Studio, frameworks like Flutter and native languages like Kotlin.
This shows you can’t use the same content for a mobile developer and frontend developer in every developer’s marketing strategy.
Here’s an example of a technographic segmentation for three types of developers:
| Frontend Developers | Backend Developers | Mobile Developers |
| Technology Usage: Tools & Frameworks: Regularly uses HTML, CSS, JavaScript frameworks (React, Angular, Vue.js), design systems, and front-end build tools (Webpack, Gulp). Development Environment: Prefers modern IDEs or code editors like VSCode, often using browser-based design and debugging tools. Design Tools: Frequently uses design and prototyping tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD. | Technology Usage: Tools & Frameworks: Uses server-side languages (Java, Python, Node.js, Ruby), frameworks (Django, Express, Spring), and database management systems (SQL, NoSQL). Development Environment: Often works with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and CI/CD pipelines. Performance Tools: Utilizes performance monitoring and optimization tools (New Relic, Datadog). | Technology Usage: Tools & Frameworks: Works with mobile development environments (Xcode, Android Studio), frameworks (Flutter, React Native), and native languages (Swift, Kotlin). Testing Tools: Utilizes mobile-specific testing tools (Appium, Firebase Test Lab) and analytics platforms. Deployment: App stores (Google Play, Apple App Store) and mobile deployment tools are frequently used. |
| Adoption Patterns: Early Adopters: Often quick to adopt new front-end technologies and frameworks. Frequent Upgrades: Regularly update the latest front-end library and tool versions. | Adoption Patterns: Cautious Adopters: May take a more measured approach to adopting new backend technologies, focusing on stability and compatibility. Integration-Focused: Emphasizes integrating and maintaining existing systems and technologies. | Adoption Patterns: Innovative Adopters: Quickly explores and integrates new mobile frameworks and technologies. Frequent Testing: Regularly tests applications across various devices and platforms to ensure compatibility and performance. |
The segmentation approach helps you create technology usage patterns for each type of developer and how you craft either content or developer resources based on the tools they use.
To ensure clarity and avoid confusion, our developer segments are limited to three types: front-end, back-end, and mobile developers. This focused approach allows you to understand how sample segments are created for each developer group without introducing unnecessary complexity by using additional segmentation for different developer audiences.
Conclusion
To wrap up this article, segmentation helps you create better, more personalized messaging for your target developers. You learn to understand them, what approach works best for them, and what content to share with them. Without understanding how developer segmentation works, your marketing efforts may not be as effective as you want them to be.